U.S. History Civics-Aligned Benchmark Review

What is rule of law?

• The law applies to everyone; no one is above the law

• Only some people have to obey the law

• A special type of law

• People can choose whether they want to obey laws or not

What was John Locke's important idea?

• Rights of privilege: rights which belong only to the rich and powerful

• Natural rights: rights which are given to us by the government

• Natural rights: rights that people are born with

• Government: John Locke invented government

What was Montesquieu's important idea?

• Natural rights: rights that people are born with

• Separation of powers: divide the government into branches and separate power to make sure no one has too much power

• Federalism: create different levels of government

• Constitution: have a written constitution

What was the Magna Carta?

• A document which limited the power of the English king

• It gave the English king more power

• A document which replaced the king with an elected president

• A document which said only the king had any rights in England

What was the English Bill of Rights?

• A document which listed the rights of the French living in England

• It guaranteed the rights of American colonists

• A document which listed the rights of English citizens/subjects

• It took away all the rights of English citizens/subjects

What was the Mayflower Compact?

• A government created by the King of England

• A document which declared America's independence from Great Britain

• A peace treaty between the Pilgrims and Native Americans

• An agreement signed by the Pilgrims agreeing to obey laws and form a government

What was Thomas Paine's "Common Sense?"

• A document which listed the rights of English citizens/subjects

• A booklet written to convince American colonists to stay as part of Great Britain

• A pamphlet written to convince American colonists to declare independence from Great Britain

• A written plan of government

What is self-government?

• The government tells the people what to do

• Anybody can do whatever they want

• People have no rights

• The people are in charge of their own government

What is representative government?

• A type of government with a king or queen

• The people vote for representatives who make the laws

• Ordinary people have no rights, only a special class

• A king choose special representatives to govern

What are natural rights?

• Rights granted by a king or queen

• Rights that people have when they live out in nature

• Rights that you are simply born with

• A system of government where people vote for their leaders